Wednesday, February 8, 2012

It's all His

Yep, it happened to us this weekend. The thing that makes your skin crawl, to think of a stranger with ill intent rummaging through your stuff. The thing that makes you every so vigilant about locking doors and checking them twice. The thing that brings about uncomfortable conversations with your young kids about the fact that not everyone in the world is nice, as you try to paint a view that is accurate, but not one that instills intense fear in their little hearts. That thing is being a victim of a robbery!

Sunday morning as I got into my car, I vaguely noticed Elijah and Abbey yelling about something. I mean they often yell, and most often, it's about something inconsequential. As I was yelling back for them to just get into their seats, so we could get to church on time, I noticed the envelope where I kept my tithe money was on the seat, and it was empty! Immediately, I knew that they were yelling because their brand new, Christmas present, DVD players, were gone from the car. I knew that someone had gotten into our car and taken their DVD players and my tithe money. I began to look around and noticed the mess. They had taken everything out of the center pocket, taken the money and left the rest on the floor. They had even taken some of my mints that I keep in the car. Abbey yelled, "They took my Little Mermaid towel!" What??? But they hadn't taken the towel, they had just gone through her backpack and thrown everything on the floor. Her towel was on the floor, safe and sound. I wondered what in the world they expected to find in a pink, little girl's butterfly covered backpack? Who knows?

We called the police on the way to church. To say that John and I were angry is to put it mildly. How dare someone take what we had bought with our own money? It was ours, and they had no right! Going into church, I knew that they sermon was going to be on one of the "Fruits of the Spirit". I thought, yeah, probably on love, being that that is the first of the list. I sarcastically thought, "Now they are going to tell me that I've got to love the folks who steal little kids' toys?" To say I didn't have a great spiritual attitude, is to put it mildly.The music began and I begin to silently have a dialogue with God.

Me: I can't believe that they took my kids' DVD players. I was so looking forward to peaceful car rides, where we don't have to answer, "Are we there yet?", or "How much longer?" fifty million times. God: Do they really need them?Me: No, of course they don't. But, Lord they took your money. It was plainly marked, "Tithe". They took it, and it belonged to you. What kind of low-life would steal from God? Doesn't that make you mad? They stole from you. It was yours!God: Everything is mine. Everything you have, everything you see, it's all mine. I choose to share with you, because I love you. I love them too!Me: Hmm, well ok. Since you put it like that...

As I've chewed on God's message to me over the past couple of days, I can honestly say that my eyes have been opened a little bit. If it's all His and on loan to me, then I have an obligation to use it wisely, in a way that will bring Him glory. If I don't, I'm just as guilty of stealing from God as the folks that took my tithe.

For instance, the most valuable things in my life, my husband and children. I have been given the trust to make sure they have every opportunity to know and live for God. I need to make sure that my words and actions point them to God. Do I reflect the heart of my Lord regarding his love for all people? Do I encourage His highest will for my family, even if it means they aren't with me, or are in dangerous situations?

What about my material possessions? Do I use the resources that God has entrusted me with to show His love, or do I hold back in fear that some of my needs might not be met?

What about my time? Do I fret over not having time for myself, and look for ways to achieve it? Do I take the time to pray and study His word, or do I rush through so I can get on with my list of chores?

I could go on and on. Sometimes I feel that, yes, I can say that I'm using God's resources wisely. Then other times, I know He's shaking His head, saying, "Come on girl, you can do better than that!" But, you know what? He still keeps right on giving! Praise be to God! Whether I use it properly or not, He keeps right on giving, right on loving me.

So the thief in me has been shown her error by a theft. Just another example of God taking something bad, and working it for His (and my) good!

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Christmas 2016

About Me

My husband, John, and I have been blessed with 6 marvelous kids. The path to each of them, whether by birth or adoption from China, was orchestrated by God and we are grateful for each of them. This blog is about our family.

Paradox

My Marvelous Family

Favorite Quotes

"The Bible calls debt a curse and children a blessing; but in our culture, we apply for a curse and reject blessings. Something is wrong with this picture." ~ Doug Phillips

"I can not change the world but I can change the world for one person" -Mother Teresa

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and proclaiming, 'Wow, what a ride!!!'"

"Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphan and widows..." James 1:27

"Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meanings can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart.” - Martin Luther King Jr

"To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways: we do not know what a day may bring forth. This is generally said with a sigh of sadness. It should rather be an expression of breathless expectation."- Oswald Chambers

"All that we call human history--money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery--[is] the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy." -C.S. Lewis

"One can give without loving, but one can not love without giving." Amy Carmichael

"The past effects the future, but does not have to determine it"-Dr. Karyn Purvis

"Time and experience have taught me a priceless lesson: Any child you take for your own becomes your own if you give of yourself to that child. I have born two children and had seven others by adoption, and they are all my children, equally beloved and precious" ~ Dale Evans

"How can there be too many children, it's like saying there are too many flowers." ~ Mother Teresa

“ The most precious jewels you’ll ever have around your neck are the arms of your children.” ~Author Unknown

Elijah's Adoption Timeline

September 2008Announced to family that we were planning on adopting from China for the second time October Started homestudyNovemberFinished all our homestudy visits, but had to get extra clearances for Daniel and AnnaJanuary 2009Send I800A to USCIS in ChicagoFebruary 20USCIS agent called and said approval was ready, but we might want to consider having Anna fingerprinted(she would soon turn 18)February 26Dana, our advocate, called and we first saw Eli's precious faceMarch 23I 797C- USCIS approvalMarch 24Dossier sent to our agency, A Helping HandApril 4Dossier sent to China!!! Praise the Lord!April 15Log In Date!! April 22Nurture and Care Plan, formerly LOI sent to CCAAApril 29Pre-ApprovalJuly 2Letter of Acceptance, or Letter Seeking ConfirmationJuly 6Mailed in acceptanceJuly 10Sent in I 800July 12I 800 received in ChicagoJuly 13First Pre-Travel MeetingJuly 24Email notification of I 800 approvalJuly 28Received I800 in the mailJuly 29Documents sent to GuangzhouAugust 4Cable sent from NVC to GuangzhouAugust 10Article 5 done and picked up by courierAugust 31Travel ApprovalSeptember 10-26Travel to China